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The original of the following historical account was written in 1932
in dialogue form for the Centennial Pageant presented on April 13 and 14
of that year. Mrs. G. B. Samson, Miss Gladys Gunsauls, and Mrs. Fred L.
Cagwin were co-authors. This present prose form is an adaptation of the
Pageant. It has been written by Mrs. Cagwin this year, 1957, for the 125th
Anniversary to be observed May 2, 3, and 5. It is to be read as of the
year of its original writing, 1932. Contents - Part I The Carbondale of 1828 was practically right in the wilderness, with none of the conveniences we take for granted today, not even sidewalks in many places. But in the fall of that year a few devout Methodists, among whom were Stephen Marsh, Jesse Clark, Adios Clark and H. B. Jadwin, feeling the need of religious life in the new community, began holding meetings in the home of Vene Lee, a great grandfather of Mrs. Wm. E. Clark, whose house stood on what is now the northwest corner of South Main St. and Seventh Ave. Mr. Lee and his second wife, Polly, were "widely known as Father and Mother Lee, the latter especially noted as an exceptionally pious woman, powerful in prayer and exhortation.
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Before coming to Carbondale, they had organized a Sunday School in 1819 in a log schoolhouse over at Canaan Four Corners, about a mile from the present village of Waymart. Mother Lee's brother, William Griffin, who lived at the Corners, was the pioneer preacher in this community, having received his local preacher's license about 1822. He was a cabinet maker, often making coffins out of the native woods, and he usually acted as both undertaker and minister at funeral services. Over in Canaan he married a young couple, John Watt and Harriet M. Freeman, and as a wedding present gave them a rocking chair he had made himself. Soon moving to Carbondale, they were among the first members of the new Methodist organization and continued devoted workers all their lives. Grandma Watt, as everyone called her, lived to be 93, and could often be seen in this old rocking chair. Just before her death, she gave it to her granddaughter who was her namesake, Miss Harriet Pascoe, who still possesses the chair, an historical reminder of those early days. She tells how, as a tiny child, she was often rocked to sleep in it. In the winter of 1830, Vene Lee died and the family moved back to Canaan, and services were then held in the homes of other members. In 1832, the first church was built on the site of the present one (the lot being a gift of the D & H Canal Co.) being a one-story frame building about 36x56 feet in size, standing with its front close to the present sidewalk. Shortly after the building was erected, the newly organized Episcopalians purchased an interest in the church, using it on alternate Sundays. But in March, 1838, the Methodists bought back their interest for $218. Although a Sunday School was probably started when the church was organized, the first definite date we have is 1840, earlier records having been destroyed. We do not know what that first school was like but there were no separate classes as we have now. The minister himself usually taught the entire school in a body, right from the Bible. Nor were there any cushioned pews and comfortable chairs in that first Church and Sunday School, only plain wooden benches. The first Superintendent of whom we have a record was Pierce Butler, followed by H. B. Jadwin, Irving Davis, William Blair, J. M. Alexander, L. D. Wolfe, Dr. C. W. Colborn and Henry S. Lee. Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Benscoter were very active in the work among the Beginners. Miss Ida Snyder-later Mrs. G. H. Ackerman-worked in the Infant Department and Beginners' Department from 1888 until her death in February 1925, a total of 37 years, in commemoration of which service the Sunday School placed a bronze tablet in the Beginners' room soon after her death. Another long record of service among the small children is that of Mrs. Robert Blair, who took charge of the Primary Department in 1900, retiring in 1929, when Mrs. Claude Olver, who had already given many years to this work, took up the task she laid down. Miss May Pengelly is another faithful worker whose term as a Department Superintendent began in 1896 and has continued unbroken ever since, a span of 36 years. W. H. Bronson served 18 years as Assistant Superintendent of the Sunday School. Dr. and Mrs. Charles W. Colborn were another couple who gave many years of service to this Church and Sunday School, Mrs. Colborn among the little folks and Dr. Colborn (who was also a local preacher) as Superintendent from 1900 to 1926, when Henry S. Lee was elected to take his place, and is now carrying on the good work assisted most ably by the Assistant Superintendent, Harry Stephens. We do not know how many pupils there may have been in that first Sunday School 92 years ago, but as late as 1894, the average was about 348 per Sunday. Today we have a membership of 1300. On our Cradle Roll, for babies, we have 59 names; in the Beginners' Department, 88; Primary, 111; Juniors, 192; Intermediates, 32; Senior Department, 613; Home Department, older members and shut-ins, 190; officers and teachers, 72. This Sunday School has always been a live, progressive organization, developing and expanding with the needs of the Church. A fine library of nearly 100 books was operated in connection with the School for many years by Librarian R. A. Jadwin and Assistant G. B. Samson. Use was also made of the "Pledge Cards" issued by the Women's Christian Temperance Union against the use of profanity, liquor and tobacco, something we could still use today! The annual picnic has always been quite a part of the Sunday School life on the social side. They also had an active baseball team; and for a number of years we had a fine orchestra which added much to the life and pep of the singing. One thing children always looked forward to was the potted plant each one received at Easter, which also added so much to the decorations in the Sanctuary before being given out. The first parsonage, a story-and-a-half building costing $750, was built in 1845 on the present lot which was bought for $75 from the D & H Canal Co. This was destroyed by fire in 1878 and a new building put up that same year at a cost of $2,000. This is practically the same parsonage we have today; at least, the same foundations with extensive improvements through the years. Nowadays an organization usually has a charter before getting started, but then the Church had been going along very nicely for 12 years before they realized they did not have one at all! Then the Pastor, concurring with the Presiding Elder, in harmony with Disciplinary Law, appointed a Committee of Trustees and, at a meeting on November 17, 1843, a charter was drawn up, approved and signed by Jesse Gardner, Elam Woodward, Judson Clark, Michael Van Gleck, Rodney Eaton, Raymond Graves, Wanton Hill, Dr. Anthony Gardner and James Birdsall; an application for its granting was then forwarded to the Court. At that time, Carbondale was in Luzerne County, not Lackawanna, as it is today, Court being held in Wilkes-Barre. On April 18, 1844, Associate Judge Ziba Bennett of the Luzerne County Court decreed the charter granted; and "The Methodist Episcopal Church of Carbondale" began its corporate existence. This was the first Methodist Church in what is now Lackawanna County. At that time, this Carbondale Charge also covered Greenfield and Dundaff. In 1849, the second church building was begun on the rear half of the church lot, being 47 x 7O feet, with a basement containing a lecture room and 4 class rooms. The audience room, with a gallery across one end, over the vestibule, would seat 600 people. The belfry contained a bell and the town clock. This church, known as "The White Church" and costing $4,000, was dedicated May 1, 1850 by Rev. William Reddy, and when the congregation began using it, they sold the first building to the Baptists for $150. It was moved to the adjoining lot on the south and later the Catholic Church bought it, naming it St. Rose Hall. In 1851, the City Officials rented the lecture room and 2 class rooms for one year, using the rooms for sessions of Court. The Wyoming Conference was organized in Carbondale on July 7, 1852, with Bishop Levi Scott presiding, Nelson Rounds as Secretary and 62 members present. Since then, it has convened here four times, in 1865, l882, 1895 and 1908. In 1854, a shrinkage in subscriptions, accumulated interest and principal made the total indebtedness on the Church $2,600. This seems like a trifling sum today, but to those earnest souls of yesteryear it was staggering, and most alarming, as a sheriff's sale seemed imminent. Rev. Mr. Wyatt made trips to New York City, down the Wyoming Valley and out West, in quest of funds, finally raising $1,600, and the balance was heroically raised by the struggling Church at home. The bell in this church was cast in 1850 and weighed 762 lbs.; it was the first bell of any size in this city and for many years it sounded the hours of the day, being connected with the town clock in the steeple; it was also used as a fire alarm. It was an unusually sweet-toned bell and the people were very fond of it. In war days it called the people together to bid farewell to the soldiers who had enlisted in the War of the Rebellion, and tolled the funeral knell of many who were brought back dead. It called the Wyoming Conference together for the first time in 1852; and in 1865, the bell tolled the message of President Lincoln's death. We are indebted to Mr. James Nichol for this story. "In 1865, there was a barracks for the housing of soldiers at the corner of North Main and Church Streets (this building is still there). The stables were to the west, where the YMCA now stands; the buildings were surrounded by a high board fence and the railroad station was located where the present D & H offices are. On April 16, 1865, James Nichol, Samuel Jones and R. B. Van Bergen, like the boys of today vitally interested in soldiers and horses, were sitting on top of this fence, watching the activities, when they saw another boy, Frank Smith, run out of the station, across to the Captain in the barracks with the message which saddened the nation, the assassination of President Lincoln. The soldiers all hurried out and the boys, naturally curious, ran to see what the news was. Someone suggested that they go down to the Methodist Church where the ministers were holding the Conference and advise them of the tragedy and have the bell toll the news." |
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